Art Therapy in Ballarat
Welcome to Flourish Creative Arts Therapy. We are an art therapy practice in Ballarat. Emily Doddrell is a Masters qualified Creative Arts Therapist who works with children, adolescents and adults. The practice is in Main Road, Bakery Hill (we share a studio with Bloom Art Therapy).
Flourish acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the land on which we create and work, the Wadawurrung People. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present. We recognize their continuing connection to land, waters and culture and acknowledge that this land always was and always will be Aboriginal land.
What is Creative Arts Therapy?
Creative Arts Therapy (or Art Therapy), provides a safe and supportive environment, guided by a Creative Arts Therapist for individuals to explore their inner world, process emotions, and foster personal growth through the power of creative expression.
In an art therapy session, there are many ways to be creative and produce creative expression such as music, song writing, drama and dance. This is why we use “creative arts therapy” to describe what we do.
Creative arts therapists are trained mental health professionals who use art, media and creative processes (such drawing, mark making, sculpting, drama, clay, sand, and movement) to facilitate the exploration of feelings, improve self-awareness and reduce anxiety for clients. Creative processes can be a way for clients to explore and express feelings that may be hard to put into words (Anzacata, 2022).
In Art Therapy sessions, the focus is on the therapeutic process of expression, exploration and creating rather than on creating a finished piece of art (although sometimes we do finish with some expressions we love and find meaningful).
Creative arts therapy can provide people (from young children to adults) with different ways to express feelings, thoughts, and experiences. This can be especially beneficial for those who find it challenging to verbalise these things.
At Flourish we take a Neuroaffirming Creative Arts Therapy approach which centers on validating and celebrating neurodivergent individual’s unique strengths, experience and expertise. We do this by creating a safe, non-judgemental space for self-expression and exploration through creative mediums and by prioritising the individual’s perspective.
